On Monday, Mr. Modi was greeted by members of the Indian community on the tarmac as he arrived in Washington. He later laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and another at the Space Shuttle Columbia Memorial in Arlington Cemetery. Indian astronaut Kalpana Chawla died in with six others in 2003 when the Columbia space shuttle came apart while re-entering the earth's atmosphere.Later, he met with U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who said the process of returning 200 stolen artifacts to India was underway, according to the prime minister's website.

On Tuesday, Mr. Modi is set to attend a lunch hosted by Mr. Obama, meet U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and later business leaders, as he tries to attract more foreign investment to India. He's due to address Congress on Wednesday.

Attorney General Lorreta Lynch, right, and Mr. Modi shook hands during a ceremony marking the repatriation of over 200 artifacts to the Indian government, at Blair House in Washington, Monday.
Photo:
Cliff Owen/Associated Press

Mr. Modi was accompanied by U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter, left, during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, U.S., Monday.